TOURISTS mingled with armed soldiers in central London yesterday amid fears terrorists will try to attack ceremonial guards in the wake of a lone wolf rampage in Canada.

Troops, dressed in combat fatigues and armed with assault rifles, have been stationed at the entrance to Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall - where sightseers gather to watch the changing of the Queen's Life Guard each day.

The entrance is part of the Buckingham Palace estate and is traditionally guarded by two ceremonial guards on horseback and two at on foot.

It comes after MI5 chiefs and senior police officers met last week to review security after the terror attack at Canada's parliament in Ottawa.

Britain has been placed on heightened terror alert because of the threat from the Islamic State which has called for lone wolf attacks in Western countries.

The MoD routinely reviews the security arrangements at all its establishments

Ministry of Defence spokesman

Security experts fear British jihadists who have fought with the terrorists in the Middle East may attempt to commit atrocities here.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The MoD routinely reviews the security arrangements at all its establishments.

"Clearly we do not comment publicly on the substance of these."

Sources said the decision to put armed guards in Whitehall was made following a review by local commanders after a Canadian soldier on ceremonial guard duty was shot dead last week.

Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 24, of Canada's Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was killed last Wednesday while on unarmed guard duty at the National War Memorial close to the parliament building in Ottawa.

Muslim convert Michael Zehaf-Bibeau was later shot dead by sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers, 58, as he rampaged through parliament.